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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet- 1 J. 0. BEAZLEY.

FRUIT DRIER.

No. 253,257. Patented Feb. 7,1882.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 21.

J. 0. BEAZLEY.

FRUIT DRIER.

No. 253,257; Patented Feb. 7,1882.

Z a i t s: S I J 2 f 2 a 2 6 Z54 b 2 z a? UNITED STATES PATENT Orrrcno JOSEPH O. BEAZLEY, OF URBANA, VIRGINIA.

FRUIT-DRIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 253,257, dated February '7, 1882.

/ I Application filed September 5, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom "it may concern Be it known that I, JOSEPH 0. BEAZLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing atUrbana, in thecountyot'MiddleseX andStateofVirginia, have invented certain new and useful Im provementsin Fruit Driers or Evaporators; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, suchas will enable others skilled .in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to fruit-driers or evaporators; and the novelty consists in the construction and arrangement ofparts, as will be more fully hereinafter set forth, and spccifi cally pointed out in the claims.

The device may be constructed so. as to be portable and adapted to service upon the ordinary kitchen stoves or ranges now in use in farm-houses or the like; but the ad vantages of the construction are equally secured in larger forms adapted to receive heat from'spccial furnaces.

The object of the invention is to produce an apparatus which will dry a maximum quantity of fruit in a minimum of time, one which will be efficient in service, and which may be placed within the reach of the poorer classes by reason of the simplicity of construction and cheapness of manufacture.

To this end the invention consists in arectangular frame in which is secured below a boileror steam-generator having inlet and outlet apertures to feed or draw off the water, from one end of which a steam-passage leads upward and connects with the interior of a hollow steam-tight shelf, which forms a horizontal partition, a similar connection at the opposite end of such shelf connecting with a similar shelf above, and so on through any desired series. The upper hollow shelves, after the steam has given off most or a portion of its heat, are supplied with dry heat,which is gathered from the heat-rays arising from the stove or furnace in a flaring-mouthed chute, which connects by perforations with the interior of the upper shelves, and isprovided with a suitable damper, by means of which the dry heat may be shut off. This dry heat serves efficiently to connteract any tendency to condensation, and to evaporate the products of condensation, ifcondensation occurs. The holding trays are placed in position and removed from alternate opposite ends of the device to accommodate the steam-connections, and to supportthe trays while being removed I provide hinged or removable guides.

Pivoted to the frame above each tray-opening is aleaf or scraper held downward by the constant force of a spring. As a tray is re-, moved the spring-scraper rides up an incline until the forward end of the tray passes the scraper, when it is pressed downward within the tray and forces the dried fruit over the rear end, from whence it falls into a bag or other receptacle, after which other or undried fruit is placed thereon, and it is forced back upon its shelf.

Located at the steam exit in such a manner as to utilize the escaping heat without impeding the draft is a preserving-kettle, which may be used when desired, and the heat is such that all danger of burning the sirup is avoided.

Located upon the top of the device is a reservoir adapted to heat the water before it is fed to the generator. It will be noticed that the reservoir is placed where it will not take up any heat which may be used in drying the fruit, and that it is only the heat nhich has passed the fruit that is employed to heat the water in the reservoir. A pipe having a stopcock leads from the reservoir to the generator, and the water is readily turned into the generator when the glass gage upon the side of the generator indicates that the water is low.

In cases where tin or sheet-metal trays are used for fruit-drying purposes much trouble is caused by the fruit adhering to the tray-surface and being torn when liberated, also in replacing trays which have become useless by reason of their having become corroded or rusted through. I provide a novel tray, easily and cheaply made, efficientand reliable in service, and of such little weight as to be readily handled. To this end I provide a rectangular wooden fraine'havin g rabbeted edges, to which is hinged a fellow frame having corresponding rabbets. A. sheet of duck or canvas is placed across the lower frame, and the upper frame is closed down upon it, the rabbets clamping and holding the canvas firmly in place, and thus providing a hot-air chamber under each canvas. The fruit is placed upon the canvas, and is thus exposed to the heat from two sidesthat is to say, from the hot-air chamber below and the radiated heat from the hollow shelf above.

The invention is fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in sec tion; Fig. 2, a cross section; Fig. 3, a longitudinal vertical section; Fig. 4, a perspective view of one of the trays removed, and Fig. 5 a detail.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, will describe its construction and mode ofoperation,reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures, and in which-- I A represents the rectangular frame, carrying steam-genelator A, t" om one end of which a steam-connection, a, leads to a hollow horizontal shelf, A A similar steam-connection, a, from the opposite end leads to a similar shelf, A above, and so on through the entire series, the steam-connections being arranged at alternate opposite ends. These shelves are adapted to support removable trays B, which are formed of two rectangular wooden frames, B, having rabbeted edges 1), adapted to close together and form a tight clamping'joint for holding between them a sheet of duck or canvas, I), as shown, the inclosed space below the canvas forming a hot-air chamber, 11 One or more of the upper shelves is perforated at c to receive hot dry air gathered from the uprising rays of heat from the stove or furnace in the flaring-mouthed chute or gatherer (J, the mouth of which opens downward, and which is contracted in an upward direction until the connection is made with the said upper shelves. The hcat-gatherer G is provided with a damper, c, by means of which the dry heat may be shut ofl' when desired.

Parallel with the bottom of each tray-chum her are hinged or otherwise secured horizontal guide-rests (I, which are adapted to support the trays as they are removed, and above each traychamber, pi voted to the frame, is a scraper, D, held downward by the constant force of a spiral or other spring, D. An incline, 11, secured to the front of each tray and resting upon the guides d, allows the scraper to ride idly over the front edge of the tray, within which it is forced downward, and as the tray is removed the fruit is forced over an incline, d, at the rear of the tray and gravitates between the tray and theframe into an open bag or other receptacle. (Not shown.)

To utilize the escaping heat withoutimpeding the draft, I place removably, near or at the exit in the top of the device, a preserving-kettle, E, which has a proper bearing upon in; cliued flanges 0, formed at said exit. This kettle serves efficiently to preserve the fruit and make fruit-sirups or the like without the danger of scorching the contents.

To insure the steady flow of generated steam through the apparatus, I apply to the top shelf a water-reservoir, F, from which a pipe,f, ha"- ing a stop-cock,f,lcads to the generator. A glass gage denotes the condition (high or low) of the water in the generator, and the stopcock allows the heated water to be fed to the generator at will. Any tendency to condensation at the reservoir or kettle by reason of the difference of temperature is counteracted by the hot-air supply, which evaporates the steam in the upper chambers.

Modifications in details of construction may be made without departing from the principle or sacrificing the advantages of my invention, the essential featuresof which have been sufficiently shown and described.

hat I claim as new is 1. In a fruit-drier, the combination of the steam-chambers, arranged one above another and connected at alternate ends with ahot-air gatherer, perforated upper chambers, and a steam-generator, as set forth.

2. The hot-air gathcrer 0, having flaring mouth opening downward, combined with the perforated hot-air and steam chambers and a generator, as set forth.

' 3. The guides at and inclines d, combined with scraper D, spring I), and trays having inclines d as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH O. BEAZLEY.

Witnesses J. R. NOTTINGHAM, (J. S. DRURY. 

